The present invention relates to an air-conditioning register that changes the direction of the air sent from an air-conditioning system and blows it into a passenger compartment through a vent.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2016-159845 discloses an air-conditioning register that includes a tubular retainer defining an air passage, a plurality of downstream fins located adjacent to the downstream opening in the retainer and arranged parallel to one another such that the downstream fins are tiltable relative to the retainer, and a plurality of upstream fins located upstream of the downstream fins and arranged parallel to one another such that the upstream fins are tiltable relative to the retainer.
The plurality of downstream fins includes a main fin and two sub-fins arranged above and below the main fin. The main fin and sub-fins each have the shape of an elongated plate extending in the vehicle width direction. An operation knob is mounted to the main fin.
Each downstream fin includes two rotation shafts, which are located at the opposite ends of the downstream fin. One of the vertical walls of the retainer includes three bearing holes, each supporting one of the rotation shafts of the corresponding downstream fin. The other vertical wall of the retainer includes a recess, to which a shim (bearing member) is coupled. The shim includes three bearing holes, each supporting the other rotation shaft of the corresponding downstream fin.
Conventionally, to couple the downstream fins to the retainer, one of the rotation shafts of each downstream fin is first inserted into the bearing hole of the shim, so that the downstream fins are integrated with the shim. Then, the downstream fins are tilted relative to the extension direction of the retainer, and the other rotation shaft of each tilted downstream fin is inserted into the corresponding bearing hole in the vertical wall of the retainer. The shim is then pressed into the recess in the vertical wall of the retainer and thus coupled to the retainer. That is, the downstream fins and the shim, which are integrated with one another, are rotated while being coupled to the retainer.